Food supplement

ABSTRACT

Food supplements are disclosed for supplementing the minerals, trace elements and phytochemicals in food. One form of the supplement comprises folic acid, lycopene and an extract of  Aspalathus linearis  (common name Red Bush) or  Cyclopia intermedia  (common name Honeybush) or a mixture of extracts of  Aspalathus linearis  and  Cyclopia intermedia.  Another form comprises lycopene and folic acid. The lycopene and folic acid are dispersed in canola oil.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to a food supplement.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It has become evident during the past decade that the average diet ofthe vast majority of human beings is deficient in respect of certainspecific vitamins, minerals, trace elements and phytochemicals.

There is growing evidence that many of these deficiencies could beinvolved in the initiation and progression of degenerative diseases,especially relating to cardiovascular disease and cancer which are thecause of up to 85% of mortality in many parts of the world.

Although there is a growing awareness of dietary deficiencies there isno consensus concerning the most important dietary components, which aredeficient and the daily amounts to be used as supplements.

The total number of potentially deficient dietary components is in theorder of about 10-20 and the required daily dosages cover a wide range.

The production of multivitamin/mineral/trace element supplements hasbecome a large industry and the public have become used to taking dailytablets, capsules, syrups etc, as supplements.

If all potentially deficient dietary components were supplemented atmaximum quantities the resulting product would be too bulky andexpensive for general use.

The present invention seeks to provide novel food supplements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided afood supplement which comprises folic acid, lycopene and an extract ofAspalathus linearis (common name Red Bush) or Cyclopia intermedia(common name Honeybush) or a mixture of extracts of Aspalathus linearisand Cyclopia intermedia.

The Red Bush tea extract (as well as the Honeybush tea extract) is anaqueous extract produced by various processing steps, includingfiltration, stabilization, flocculation, membrane separation,concentration and drying.

The extract or mixture of extracts present should, at the recommendeddaily intake of the supplement, provide the following:

Total polyphenols—at least 15% and preferably at least 25% by weight (gGallic Acid Equivalent/100 g)

Antioxidant capacity—at least 500 and preferably at least 1500 μmolTrolox Equivalent/g.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provideda food supplement which comprises lycopene and an extract of Aspalathuslinearis or Cyclopia intermedia or a mixture of extracts of Aspalathuslinearis and Cyclopia intermedia.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided afood supplement which comprises folic acid and an extract of Aspalathuslinearis or Cyclopia intermedia or a mixture of extracts of Aspalathuslinearis and Cyclopia intermedia.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provideda food supplement including both lycopene and folic acid.

It is preferred that the defined constituents be in a pharmaceuticallyacceptable oil. The oil can be canola oil which is preferably extractedfrom the rape seeds by cold pressing. However, it is also possible forthe constituents to be in the form of a powder, a syrup, tablets, asolution or a suspension. When constituents are in oil, the oil can bewithin a soft gel capsule or a hard shell capsule.

When folic acid is present it is preferably in a quantity that, at therecommended daily intake, gives a daily dosage of between 0.2 and 1.5mg.

When lycopene is present it is preferably a quantity that, at therecommended daily intake of the supplement, gives a daily dosage ofbetween 0.5 and 25 mg.

When said extract is present it is preferably in a quantity that, at therecommended daily intake of the supplement, gives a daily dosage ofbetween 25 and 1500 mg. The extract preferably has a total polyphenolscontent of at least 15% (g Gallic Acid Equivalent/100 g) by weight andan antioxidant capacity of at least 500 μmol Trolox Equivalent/g.

The supplement can be provided in the form of soft gel capsules in whichform the active ingredients are in a pharmaceutically acceptable oil.The oil used is preferably canola oil. Whilst one capsule can beformulated to give the requisite daily dosage, it is also possible toachieve the daily dosage by formulating the capsules so that two or moremust be taken per day to achieve the required daily dosage.

A specific capsule (or capsules) in accordance with the presentinvention provides the following daily dosages:

200 to 750 mg of canola oil, between 0.4 and 1.0 mg of folic acid,between 4 and 10 mg of lycopene and between 100 and 500 mg of saidextract.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided afood supplement which provides the following daily dosages of theconstituents specified, folio acid 0.2 to 1.5 mg vitamin B6 0.5 to 50 mgvitamin B12 0.01 to 0.03 mg methionine 20 to 1000 mg choline 2 to 50 mglycopene 0.5 to 25 mg vitamin C 50 to 1000 mg vitamin E 5 to 250 mgselenium 0.02 to 0.25 mg extract 25 to 1500 mgthe extract comprising Aspalathus linearis (common name Red Bush) orCyclopia intermedia (common name Honeybush) or a mixture of extracts ofAspalathus linearis and Cyclopia intermedia.

The constituents listed are preferably dispersed in a pharmaceuticallyacceptable oil. Said oil is preferably canola oil and is present in anamount which, at the recommended daily intake of the supplement, gives adaily dosage of between 100 and 1000 mg. The oil is preferably recoveredfrom the rape seeds by cold pressing.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention there is provided afood supplement for combatting oxidation in the human body and whichincludes lycopene, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and said extract.

Said constituents are preferably present in quantities to give thefollowing daily dosage: lycopene 0.5 to 25 mg vitamin C 50 to 1000 mgvitamin E 5 to 250 mg selenium 0.02 to 0.25 mg extract 25 to 1500 mg

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention there is provideda food supplement comprising lycopene dispersed in canola oil.

The quantity of lycopene is selected so that, at the recommended dailyintake of the supplement, it gives a preferred daily dosage of between0.5 to 25 mg.

1. A food supplement which comprises folic acid, lycopene and an extractof Aspalathus linearis (common name Red Bush) or Cyclopia Intermedia(common name Honeybush) or a mixture of extracts of Aspalathus linearisand Cyclopia intermedia.
 2. A food supplement as claimed in claim 1,wherein the quantity of extract or mixture of extracts present provides,at the recommended daily intake of the supplement, the following: Totalpolyphenois—at least 15% by weight (g Gallic Acid Equivalent/100 g)Antioxidant capacity—at least 500 μmol Trolox Equivalent/g.
 3. A foodsupplement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the extract or mixture ofextracts present provides, at the recommended daily intake of thesupplement, ast least 25% by weight (g Gallic Acid Equivalent/100 g). 4.A food supplement as claimed in claim 2 wherein the extract or mixtureof extracts present provides, at the recommended daily intake of thesupplement, at least 1500 μmol Trolox Equivalent/g.
 5. A food supplementwhich comprises lycopene and an extract of Aspalathus linearis orCyclopia intermedia or a mixture of extracts of Aspalathus linearis andCyclopia intermedia.
 6. A food supplement which comprises folic acid andan extract of Aspalathus linearis or Cyclopia intermedia or a mixture ofextracts of Aspalathus linearis and Cyclopia intermedia.
 7. A foodsupplement including both lycopene and folic acid.
 8. A food supplementas claimed in claim 1, wherein the folic acid is present in a quantitythat, at the recommended daily intake of the supplement, gives a dailydosage of between 0.2 and 1.5 mg.
 9. A food supplement as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the lycopene is present in a quantity that, at therecommended daily intake of the supplement, gives a daily dosage ofbetween 0.5 and 25 mg.
 10. A food supplement as claimed in claim 1,wherein said extract is present n a quantity that, at the recommendeddaily intake of the supplement, gives a daily dosage of between 25 and1500 mg.
 11. A food supplement as claimed in claim 1, and including acarrier in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable oil in which thespecified constituents are dispersed.
 12. A food supplement as claimedin claim 11, wherein said oil is canola oil.
 13. As a daily intake forsupplementing the minerals, vitamins, trace elements and phytochemicalsin food, one or more capsules providing the following daily dosages:between 200 and 750 mg of canola oil, between 0.4 and 1.0 mg of folicacid, between 4 and 10 mg of lycopene and between 100 and 500 mg of anextract of Aspalathus linearis (common name Red Bush) or Cyclopiaintermedia (common name Honeybush) or a mixture of extracts ofAspalathus linearis nd Cyclopia intermedia.
 14. A food supplement which,at the recommended daily intake of the supplement, provides thefollowing daily dosages of the constituents specified, folic acid 0.2 to1.5 mg vitamin B6 0.5 to 50 mg vitamin B12 0.01 to 0.03 mg methionine 20to 1000 mg choline 2 to 50 mg lycopene 0.5 to 25 mg vitamin C 50 to 1000mg vitamin E 5 to 250 mg selenium 0.02 to 0.25 mg extract 25 to 1500 mg

the extract comprising Aspalathus linearis (common name Red Bush) orCyclopia intermedia (common name Honeybush) or a mixture of extracts ofAspalathus linearis and Cyclopia intermedia.
 15. A food supplement asclaimed in claim 14, wherein the constituents of the supplement aredispersed in a pharmaceutically acceptable oil.
 16. A food supplement asclaimed in claim 15, wherein the oil is canola oil and is present in anamount which, at the recommended daily intake of the supplement, gives adaily dosage of between 100 and 1000 mg.
 17. A food supplement forcombating oxidation in the human body and which includes lycopene,vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and an extract of Aspalathus linearis(common name Red Bush) or Cyclopia intermedia (common name Honeybush) ora mixture of extracts of Aspalathus linearis and Cyclopia intermedia.18. As a daily intake for supplementing the minerals, vitamins, traceelements and phytochemicals in food, a product to be taken by mouthwhich gives the following daily dosage: lycopene 0.5 to 25 mg vitamin C50 to 1000 mg vitamin E 5 to 250 mg selenium 0.02 to 0.25 mg extract 25to 1500 mg

the extract comprising Aspalathus linearis common name Red Bush) orCyclopia intermedia (common name Honeybush) or a mixture of extracts ofAspalathus linearis and Cyclopia intermedia.
 19. A food supplementcomprising lycopene dispersed in canola oil.
 20. A food supplement asclaimed in claim 19, wherein the quantity of lycopene is selected sothat, at the recommended daily intake of the supplement, it gives adaily dosage of between 0.5 to 25 mg.